Daria Paterek and Milena Lapinska
This month, writers explored the power of storytelling, particularly when it comes to books. Writers delved into the novel vs film discourse, as well as comparing the film to book adaptations. In this debate, Milena and Daria dispute whether books are best consumed through Kindle or paperback.
Daria says Paperback…
In my opinion, reading is all about the sensual experience. The ability to feel the paper as you turn the pages, smell the book (regardless of whether it’s new or old) and see the words on the discoloured pages. Not only is a book an intellectual experience, it’s a tangible one.
I’m also a collector, enjoying a unique hardback and collecting a series is satisfying to me. While books can sometimes carry a hefty price tag, there are ways to combat this. One of them is thrift shopping for books, which is a way that I’ve expanded my book collection without massively impacting my pockets. I was able to snap up Chinglish for 60p, The Alchemist for 50p, and the hardback copy of The Thursday Murder Club for 80p.
cuddling a physical book, as I hide away from the real world, is an experience that I would not get with a Kindle
I was raised reading paperbacks and hardbacks. When I was 10/11, I would lay in bed all Sunday reading Jacqueline Wilson books, such as Hetty Feather and Girls in Love. Doing that again, as an adult, evokes nostalgia in me that I cannot put into words.
Maybe it’s in my blood. Growing up, my mom would read me Grimms’ Fairy Tales, a collection of stories that were passed down to her. I still own the books to this day, and they rest on my bookshelf, ready to be passed down to my descendants.
I can’t feel fully immersed in a Kindle. For me, relaxation is all about detachment from the outside world. As someone who studies and works on a laptop, how can I feel fully relaxed when reading on a Kindle? Snuggled up in my duvet, cuddling a physical book, as I hide away from the real world, is an experience that I would not get with a Kindle.
Call me old-fashioned, but delving into a physical book is an experience in itself.
Milena says Kindle…
Why have a paperback when you can have 1000s of books on one device?
you can buy any book, anytime and anywhere
The first Kindle was released in 2007 by Amazon and has changed e-reading ever since. Kindle offers an ideal way to read eBooks; they are easy to use, sustainable, and have a long battery life (of up to 36 hours). And they are affordable too, with second-hand models starting at £30 and new models ranging at £64-£229 on Amazon.
Kindle eBooks retail at lower prices than paperbacks, with daily Kindle book deals priced at 99p. Also, there is the option of a Kindle Unlimited subscription, which is £7.99 per month with a 2-month free trial.
Going on a holiday or a trip and you have limited space? Kindles are great if you travel. They are lightweight and don’t take up space in your bag. You can buy any book, anytime and anywhere. There is no need to go to the bookstore to purchase a paperback or order from Amazon and wait. With a simple button press, the book will download onto your Kindle, and you are set and ready to read.
Another great thing about Kindles is that you can annotate books. You can highlight important phrases or add notes to sentences. Afterwards, they will go into the ‘My Clippings’ folder which you can access and see your annotations.
Kindle is one of the things I always have in my bag
One of the best features of the Kindle is the easy on the eye-protective screen, due to the e-ink screen that provides an appearance similar to paper. This display provides low power consumption and high contrast for good readability. Kindle’s screen is much easier on the eyes than an iPad or phone. The screen is also great for the outdoors because the screen is matte and doesn’t reflect light. So, you can enjoy reading on the beach, backyard, or elsewhere.
Kindle is one of the things I always have in my bag, as I travel with countless books on one device. Although after finishing a book, you will not be able to place it on your shelf. But that’s one of the only drawbacks of the Kindle.
Daria Paterek and Milena Lapinska
Featured Image courtesy of Balázs Kétyi via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image courtesy 1 of Lenin Estrada via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
In-article image courtesy 2 of Maarten van den Heuvel via Unsplash. Image license found here. No changes were made to this image.
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